Sore Nibbles
by panicpeachpit
Summary: One-shot. Why does Caleb call Ethan 'nibbles? Childhood!AU. Written from information given on the 30th anniversary (this contains spoilers).


_Hello, hello. I am still alive, sorry for being so inactive! I've been lazy on here lately and I apologise. Anyway, I hope I'm forgiven with this little one-shot based on the information Ethan told us about why Caleb calls him 'Nibbles'. I never thought this day would come, but the reason is pretty hilarious!So, here you go! Let me take you back in time to see six-year-old Ethan and eight-year-old Cal!_

 **WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR 30TH ANNIVERSARY**

It was clear that Ethan Hardy had a stammer, ever since he started talking properly at age two, almost three, it had shone through. It was something which his big brother took great delight in teasing him about.

"Ethan! Ethan, say cheese! Say...puppy!" Cal would clamor constantly until Ethan would give in and attempt to say the words, face screwed up in effort. Each time Caleb would splutter with laughter, and Ethan would sigh and stick his tongue out at his brother annoyedly.

"G-go away!" Ethan groaned, one time when he was fed up, closing their shared bedroom door and standing against it.

"Fine! I'll go and play with my friends, they're more fun anyway!" Cal retorted childishly, and then Ethan heard the steps of his brother as he hopped down the stairs. Ethan knew he didn't mean it, they often had the best fun together, messing about and playing imaginary games, but it hurt all the same to hear that.

Ethan sighed, seeming older than his small six years, and sat on the floor with his legs crossed. His teddies and dolls sat on the cream carpeted floor with him, staring back with beady eyes. Pieces of paper and pencils rolled from under the bed and in front of him, as he smiled and scribbled 'notes' in wobbly writing. It was time to open up his own hospital, he thought with a happy smile on his face bringing out his faint dimples.

Teddy was sprawled across the floor, seemingly in agony. Ethan decided his stomach must be hurting and gently prodded on it. From his medical kit, he fed the teddy some milk. Hopefully, that'd help Teddy, Ethan thought. He'd had many tummy hurts when he'd raided the ice-cream from the freezer with Caleb until their mother stopped them, so he knew that it wasn't nice to feel ill like that. Milk should help him. Teddies love milk, he decided.

He wrote 'Teddy had a poorly tummy' down in his best writing, and drew a quick sketch of the teddy, making sure he got the fluffy brown fur just right.

He moved on to the elephant, who looked rather worn and not the color he used to be. It was probably due to the years of rough play he'd endured, but Ethan decided it was because he had a blocked trunk. He got out a tissue from the medical kit and let the elephant blow his nose, not cringing at the imaginary snot on the tissue. He wasn't all that squeamish. Carefully he scrawled 'Ellie-fant had moo-cus in his trunk'. He thought that sounded quite professional, whatever that meant. He'd heard it on a medical drama somewhere, he was sure.

Next, he saw to his mother's doll from when she was a little girl. Sally Strawberry, dressed in an obviously fitting outfit, a small strawberry hat and a red dress. Ethan got his plastic equipment out and tried to guess what was wrong. He decided that Sally had sore 'nibbles'. He quickly wrote down 'Sally had sore nibbles,' and gathered up his notes, pleased with his progress.

"I n-need to do some p-paperwork, so please b-be patient and wait in the...the sitting room," Ethan said to them. He got no response, but he was used to that by now. They just sat, slumped by the frame of his bed. Ethan smiled and began scribbling more nonsense about the 'treet-ment' they received.

That was when he heard a suspicious amount of giggles coming from somewhere. He looked in astonishment at his toys; they couldn't be laughing at him, could they?

Quickly Ethan sprung up from the floor, looking around and checking the room. It was coming from outside!

"CAL!" Ethan screeched, pulling open the door. Caleb was stood by the frame, hunched over with laughter, surrounded by his two other friends named Adrian and Iain.

"N-not funny!" Ethan said, crossing his arms furiously. A soft red blush spread across his cheeks, but it felt hot and burning on his face as he was filled with embarrassment.

"Yes, it is!" Caleb managed to say between giggles. He and his friends entered his room, and before Ethan could stop them, they scooped up his medical notes.

"Um, t-those are p-private!" Ethan stammered. He didn't have any power to stop them, though. Before he could even snatch them away, he was taunted by childish laughter once again.

"Sally Strawberry had sore WHAT? Ethan!" Caleb collapsed with laughter, as Ethan considered hitting him. They were PRIVATE medical notes which he'd written up, they weren't for anyone's eyes but his! His patients wouldn't appreciate their injuries getting read about.

"G-give that back!"

"Not a chance!"

Ethan stood red-faced and set to howl as Caleb wafted through the rest of his medical notes. Ethan was extremely hurt, feeling a lump in his throat and tears spring to his eyes. Caleb only noticed when his big brown eyes got glossy with tears, and they began to go spurting down his cheeks. Ethan hung his head; Dad always told him it was bad to cry, but he just couldn't help it. Caleb felt bad.

"Okay, okay, stop! I'm...I'm sorry, Ethan. I didn't mean to...dsiturb your hospital." Caleb sighed, cringing at the use of the word 'sorry'. It wasn't one he used very often, even though he was constantly the one who started most of their childish arguments. Adrian and Iain shook their heads, giving Caleb a smirk (secretly feeling guilty but they wouldn't admit) as they left the room and headed outside again.

"T-they're m-mine!" Ethan howled, annoyed. Caleb hugged the younger one tightly, able to pick him up due to his short height.

"And I'm sorry," Caleb apologised again. Ethan nestled his head into Caleb's shoulder, sniffing as wiped away the tears.

"Better," Caleb smiled, as Ethan returned it. "Do you want to come and play with me and the boys?" Caleb asked, placing him back down onto the floor carefully. Ethan nodded, surprised he was getting a chance to join in. Caleb must really be sorry.

"O-okay,"

"Good! Come on then...Nibbles!"

"Oh, Cal..."

"You're never living this down, little brother."

Ethan groaned as Caleb chucked an arm around him, as they both walked along the landing and down the stairs. He had a feeling this new nickname was going to stick for a while.


End file.
